Thankful for the people and partnerships that power propane

I spent a weekend in September at Bristol Motor Speedway experiencing the sights and sounds of a NASCAR race. My first.

Suburban Propane welcomed LP Gas to this scenic city on the border of Tennessee and Virginia. Tennessee can stake its claim, however, to the track and the infamous night race. The story developed throughout the day and culminated under the lights when driver AJ Allmendinger got behind the wheel of his Suburban Propane-sponsored Chevy in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

There’s more to this story than flashy sponsorships. It’s about the importance of partnerships and propane retailers capitalizing on different avenues to grow gallons. Suburban Propane is fueling campgrounds, concessions and racetrack operations, including track dryers, as part of a partnership with NASCAR. It hopes this partnership serves as a springboard to additional applications for propane at the racetrack and beyond.

Suburban Propane is the nation’s third-largest propane retailer by gallon sales, and it’s working with one of the most recognizable sports leagues in the country. However, any retailer in the propane industry – no matter the size or location – can pursue growth and new opportunities through partnerships in their communities, by promoting the value of their product.

I heard Suburban Propane leaders in Bristol emphasize propane’s positive qualities – how it is portable, versatile, sustainable, resilient and clean. The partnership is giving the company and the industry an opportunity to share this valuable message on a national stage. It’s also a message that can be shared by retailers at all levels of the industry.

“When we joined on with NASCAR, we weren’t really sure what to expect. We’ve learned that the partnerships, the sponsorships, it’s a family,” says Michael Stivala, president and CEO of Suburban Propane. “We’ve opened doors, whether it’s B2B activity or residential customers that see our brand and want to do business with us. It’s immeasurable at this point.”

▶ Time to reflect

This month, we give thanks. As I write this column, I think about how I’m thankful for the opportunity to visit Bristol and understand this partnership and how it fits into the big picture of the propane industry.

I’m thankful for partnerships in general – particularly those we have at LP Gas – and the relationships we’ve established with our readers.

Within our industry, I’m thankful for the many uses of propane, which we get to report in LP Gas. The process of educating others about the product – especially end-use consumers and elected officials – never ends. Thank you to the companies that give us that access to learn and share.

I’m thankful to see the industry welcome young leaders – and to see these passionate individuals take the reins and carve their own paths in propane. We’ve seen that through the fledgling Young Professionals Council (YPC) of the National Propane Gas Association and through our own LP Gas Rising Leaders initiative.

As the industry continues to lose institutional knowledge from the many individuals who have spent decades sharing their wisdom with others, this transition to the next generation has never been more important. Thank you to those industry veterans who remain and are willing to pass along what they’ve learned to their industry colleagues.

I’m thankful for the many great propane industry leaders of the past and present. We see them leading retail companies big and small; leading state, regional and national associations; and even leading on a global scale, evident recently with the World Liquid Gas Association’s Liquid Gas Week in Istanbul. The event hits Houston in 2027.

I’m thankful to work in such an industry that welcomes one another so openly, with kindness and respect, and with a sense of humor. This is always evident at industry shows and meetings, at our own LP Gas events and in social settings.

And certainly, I’m thankful for my family, friends and colleagues. At the end, isn’t it really about the people in our lives?

Featured homepage image: JJ Gouin/iStock/Getty Images Plus

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